Why Winter Is the Season for Inner Work

Have you noticed how differently you feel in the winter when it gets dark at 4pm compared to those long summer evenings? Maybe you've felt the pull to stay home with a blanket and hot drink rather than going out to meet friends. If so, your body is doing exactly what it should, responding to nature's oldest rhythm.

Our ancestors understood something our modern society has forgotten; winter is a time for rest and reflection, and it’s necessary. They didn't guarantee survival through winter by working harder. They prepared, pulled back, and looked after each other. The problem is, we've lost that rhythm. We're expected to maintain the same energy levels all year, showing up at the office at 9am and performing at the same pace whether it's June or January.

But our bodies remember what our minds have forgotten. We might have evolved mentally, but physiologically we're still wired for those ancient patterns of work and rest. That's why you feel more tired in winter. That's why the darkness affects you. Your body needs something that modern life won’t allow.

The natural pull inward

There's something about the darker months that naturally encourages stillness. When you're not rushing out after work, when the cold keeps you indoors, when evenings are long and quiet, something shifts. Your intuition becomes stronger. You start noticing things about yourself you've been too busy to see.

Look at the trees in autumn. They shed their leaves not because they're dying, but because they're preparing. Through winter, there's less nourishment, less sunlight. So they let go of anything that would hold them back, anything that would drain their resources. They do this so they can survive, so they can burst into life again when spring returns.

We can learn from this. Winter is a time for endings, not in a dramatic sense, but in asking yourself: what habits are bringing me down? What patterns keep repeating? What needs to be released before the light returns and new growth becomes possible?

It's like seeds beneath frozen soil. They're there, waiting patiently, knowing they'll grow when the time is right. Winter gives you space to plant those seeds, to think about what you want to bring into your life without the pressure to make it happen immediately. Maybe that’s why New Year's resolutions so often fail. We're trying to start fresh in the dead of winter, when nature itself is still resting, still gathering energy for what's to come.

When the work feels too heavy

Not everyone finds this inward turn comfortable. If winter already feels overwhelming, if darkness brings heaviness rather than rest, the idea of doing inner work might feel like too much.

The important thing is to listen to yourself. Yes, winter offers more time for reflection because you're naturally doing less. But if you're not ready, that's fine. All inner work, done properly, will bring up resistance. When you hit that wall of "I don't want to look at this," you've found something that needs attention. But maybe not right now.

What's important is noticing. Write it down: "I'm feeling resistance to this." Ask yourself why, even if you're not ready to dig deeper. Because that resistance is information. It's your ego trying to keep you safe, protecting you from descending into the subconscious where the uncomfortable truths live.

The key is not to stay down there. You descend to do the work, but you have to bring yourself back up. Notice the pattern, make the small change, and then do something nurturing. Have a bath, do a hobby you love, remember that reflection should lead to action, however small, not endless rumination.

Winter teaches us that rest isn't laziness. Darkness isn't something to fear. Sometimes pulling back, going inward, and letting go is exactly the work we need to do.